|
| |
What are generics?
Generic drugs or "generics" are pharmaceutical preparations that contain the same active ingredients in the same concentration as better known originator drugs. They are therefore therapeutically equivalent to the original drug. Generics usually appear on the market after the patents of the corresponding originator drugs have expired. |
 Back to the top
| |
| |
What is the advantage of generics?
Generics offer the same efficacy as originator drugs at a significant discount, thereby taking some pressure off increasingly cost-conscious public health systems. Lower prices also make medications accessible to individuals that might otherwise not be able to afford them. |
Back to the top
| |
| |
Why do generics cost less?
Generics are offered at affordable prices, because initial basic and clinical research programs are not required, thus reducing investment. Combining that with globally optimized distribution channels, Sandoz is able to make cost savings possible without sacrificing quality. |
Back to the top
| |
| |
How does Sandoz safeguard the quality of its generics?
Sandoz ensures highest quality and safety of its generic products by conducting thorough bioequivalence studies in close collaboration with regulatory agencies. Although we are active in more than 120 countries, we always develop, produce and test our products according to European and US regulations and guidelines, which currently represent the highest standards worldwide. Within the company, we have established a global quality management system that is based on planning, implementation and control. A Clinical Safety Department monitors the safety profile of all our globally marketed products by providing medical quality reports to the health authorities, in order to protect patient safety. Finally, at Sandoz, quality control is the business of an independent unit that reports directly to the CEO. |
Back to the top
| |
| |
Who is Sandoz?
Sandoz unites 14 different national brands under a single, strong name. The companies, which were previously under the umbrella of Novartis Generics, include Geneva Pharmaceuticals in the US, Azupharma in Germany and Biochemie in Austria. Facing up to the challenges of the generic market, we decided to pool our resources in order to strengthen and harmonize our global activities. |
Back to the top
| |
| |
What is the connection between Sandoz and Novartis?
Novartis is Sandoz' parent company. The division Novartis Generics, which had been growing at a fast pace in the past few years, was rebranded under the historic name Sandoz in May 2003. Looking back on more than 100 years of experience and tradition, Sandoz has become a new name for old values. |
Back to the top
| |
| |
Is Sandoz the same company I remember from before?
The historic company Sandoz was founded in 1886, achieving milestones in the history of pharmaceutical research and development. In 1996, the merger between Sandoz and Ciba gave birth to the globally operating corporation Novartis. Therefore, the Sandoz of today is in a direct line of innovation from the Sandoz of yesterday. |
Back to the top
| |
| |
What products and services does Sandoz offer?
Sandoz operates in three Business Franchises – Pharmaceuticals, Biopharmaceuticals and Industrial products. The Pharmaceuticals Business produces finished dosage forms, which are sold to pharmacies, hospitals and other healthcare outlets. The Industrial Business manufactures active pharmaceutical ingredients and their intermediaries for industrial customers. The Biopharmaceutical Business develops and produces recombinant drugs and ingredients using biotechnological methods and gene technology. It is currently expanding to meet growing demand. |
Back to the top
| |
| |
Where does Sandoz operate?
Headquartered in Vienna, Austria, Sandoz is active in more than 120 countries, employing over 11.000 people of diverse nationalities worldwide. Over 1000 highly skilled researchers in five research & development units (R&D), located in Argentina, Austria, India, South Africa and the USA, are constantly looking for new ways to improve medication. |
Back to the top
| |
| |
Why are generics important for global health?
Medicine constitutes between 8 and 15 percent of total health spending. Countries in the developed world are groaning under the weight of rapidly rising costs for their public health systems, while in developing countries people often cannot afford live-saving medication. In the end, the individual pays the bill: Either with ever rising contributions for medical insurance or even worse by letting a curable disease go untreated. Generic products help keep expenditures down. And that may contribute to saving lives. |
Back to the top
| |
| |
Why does Sandoz produce generics?
Providing high-quality generics at user-friendly prices is our way to make a contribution towards private and public health budgets. Our broad range of products allows access to life-saving medications that might not otherwise be affordable. Patent protection ensures that pharmaceutical companies who invest in researching new drugs have the opportunity to get a return on their investment. It is in the people's interest, however, to get access to affordable, high-quality drugs after the patents expire. |
Back to the top
| |
| |
What are patents and why do they expire?
Patents are a mechanism to further the public interest by giving a temporary monopoly to inventors of new products in return for sharing their knowledge with the broader scientific community. The temporary monopoly allows the inventors to recoup their costs and make a reasonable profit. However, once the period of the patent is over, the knowledge becomes part of the public domain and can be utilized by everyone. In this manner the incentive for innovation remains, while at the same time, the public’s interest in the free flow of knowledge is maintained. In pharmaceuticals, patents operate to guarantee the opportunity for a company to profit by original discoveries, but also the patients’ right to affordable medicines. |
Back to the top
| |
| |
Are generics the same as originator drugs?
Generic pharmaceuticals contain the same active ingredients in the same concentration as the originator drugs and their efficacy is verified by strict bioequivalence studies. They may vary from originator drugs in their method of preparation or in the composition of inactive ingredients such as colorings or binders, which have no therapeutic effects. |
Back to the top
| |
| |
Should I substitute a generic drug for an originator drug?
We verify the efficacy of our generics by thorough bioequivalence studies and are confident they meet the highest quality standards. However, at Sandoz we believe in open communication and recommend that you should consult your doctor or pharmacist before making any changes to your medications. In this way all your health professionals will be able to give you the best care at the best price. |
Back to the top
| |
| |
Are all generics the same?
All marketed generic drugs must meet the same regulatory guidelines for the local market in which they are sold. However, at Sandoz, all our products not only meet the highest international standards, but also often exceed them. We have over a century of experience and are in partnership with some of the world's leading pharmaceutical and biotechnology firms. And that excellence is reflected in all our products. |
Back to the top
| |
